NGSSoftware Insight Security Research Advisory

Name: IBM DB2 XML functions overflows
Systems Affected: DB2 8.1
Severity: High risk from remote
Vendor URL: http://www.ibm.com/
Author: David Litchfield [ david at ngssoftware.com ]
Relates to: http://www.nextgenss.com/advisories/db2-02.txt
Date of Public Advisory: 5th January 2005
Advisory number: #NISR05012005H
Advisory URL: http://www.ngssoftware.com/advisories/db205012005H.txt

Description
***********
IBM's DB2 database server contain four XML functions that suffer from stack
based buffer overflow vulnerabilities.

Details
*******
The xmlvarcharfromfile suffers from a buffer overflow vulnerability. When
and only when, 94 bytes are supplied for the second argument a pointer to
the user supplied string is written over the saved return address so when
ucnv_open_2_0 (in db2xmlfn.dll) returns - it does so into the string. This
allows an attacker to run arbitrary code and elevate privileges.

The xmlclobfromfile, xmlfilefromvarchar and xmlfilefromclob functions are
also vulnerable.


Fix Information
***************
IBM has written a patch and can be obtained with the latest fixpak.

http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/db2/udb/support/downloadv8.html - DB2
v8.1
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/db2/udb/support/downloadv7.html - DB2
v7.x

NGSSQuirreL for DB2 (http://www.nextgenss.com/db2.htm) can be used to assess
whether your DB2 server is vulnerable to this.


About NGSSoftware
*****************
NGSSoftware design, research and develop intelligent, advanced application
security assessment scanners. Based in the United Kingdom, NGSSoftware have
offices in the South of London and the East Coast of Scotland. NGSSoftware's
sister company NGSConsulting, offers best of breed security consulting
services, specialising in application, host and network security
assessments.

http://www.ngssoftware.com/

Telephone +44 208 401 0070
Fax +44 208 401 0076

enquiries@ngssoftware.com